Put-together toy piano



Oct- 9, 1952 c. PEARSON, .1R 3,057,244

PUT-TOGETHER TOY PIANO Filed July 26, 1960 2 Sheets-Shea?l l Oct. 9, 1962 c. PEARsoN, JR 3,057,244

PUT-TOGETHER TOY PIANO Filed July 26, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR United States Patent Otiice 3,57,244 Patented Oct. 9, 1962 Filed July 26, 1960, Ser. No. 45,411 2 Claims. (Cl. 84-404) This invention relates to a put-together toy piano.

One of the objects of this invention provides a toy piano which is formed of a plurality of separate parts which may be put together by a young child to form a complete toy piano which can be played by the child and which may be disassembled by the child. All of the foregoing may be accomplished without the use of any tools; it requires merely putting the various components together in a fitting relationship.

It is well recognized that children like to play with toys which lthey can put together and disassemble, and when put together forms a com-plete playable unit. This invention, therefore, provides a toy having these features and which may be played to produce a very satisfactory tonal quality.

Other objects will become apparent as this description progresses.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the toy piano fully assembled.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged front view of FIGURE l.

FIGURE 3 is a top view with the cover plate removed.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 4 4 0f FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 5 5 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 6 6 of FIGURE 4, yand FIGURE 7 is an enlarged partial perspective of one of the corners of the tone bar support member.

The put-together toy piano comprises several parts which may be put together and which also may be disassembled without the use of any tools. The parts are so constructed and arranged that they may be fitted together and when thus tted together the resultant toy will be a toy piano which produces a very satisfactory tonal sound.

The put-together toy piano includes a base 10 of generally rectangular shape which has a plurality of spaced aligned upstanding members 12 which form the key sup.- ports. The base 10 and key supports 12 are molded or lformed integrally, preferably of plastic material, and same is best shown in FIGURES 4 and 6. The front and rear walls of the key supports 12 are inclined upwardly toward each other, as best shown in dotted lines in FIG- URE 4, to form a narrow upper edge on which the piano keys rest.

Supported on the base 10 is a tone bar support generally indicated at 14 formed separately and mounted on the base, as shown in the drawings.

The tone bar support 14 comprises a generally trapezoidal shaped top frame-like member having horizontal front and rear members 16 and 18 spaced from each other and connected by sides 20 and 22 to provide an enlarged trapezoidal shaped opening 24.

Extending downwardly from the front and rear members 16 and 18 as best seen in FIGURE 7 are vertical portions, the front portion being designated by the numeral 16', and similar portions extend downwardly at the opposite sides one of which is designated as 20. Legs 26 are formed at the four corners of the tone lbar support 14. Each leg 26 has a depending pin 28 which is best shown in FIGURE 7. The base 10 is provided with four spaced openings 30, with two spaced openings adjacent each of the opposite sides of the base to accommodate the pins 28 of the corner legs 26 so that the tone bar support is detachably secured on the base.

The horizontal front and rear members 16 and 18 of the tone bar support 14 each has secured to it a longitudinal strip of felt material designated by the numerals 32 and 34 respectively. Extending upwardly from the front and rear members 16 and 18 are spaced pins 36 and 38, respectively. The front and back pins are aligned, that is, each front pin 36 has a complementary aligned back pin 38, and the pins 36 and 38 are preferably molded as an integral part of the tone bar support 14. As best -seen in FIGURE 3, the distance between each pair o-f aligned pins 36 and 38 is dilerent, decreasing from left to right.

A separate tone bar 40 is positioned on each oppositely aligned pair of pins to span or bridge the opening 24 of the tone bar support 14. As shown, each tone bar, one for each note of the scale is used, however, any number may be used. Each tone bar 40 has a pair of spaced openings 42 so that they align with and fit only on their respective pins. In positioning the tone bars on the tone bar support they are merely placed on the pins which coincide with the spaced openings 42. The child cannot make any mistakes in placing the tone bar in the wrong place since all he has to do is align the tone bar openings with the pins.

Pivotally supported on each of the key supports 12 is a key generally designated by the numeral 44. The key which is integrally formed has a front portion 46 and a lowered rear portion 48 with a skirt wall 50 extending downwardly around the front and sides thereof to form ia key with a hollow interior and open bottom. The key has an inverted U-shaped projection 52 which extends downwardly from the top surface of the key and same rests upon the key support 12, as best shown in FIGURES 4 and 6, as a pivot. Lateral shifting of the key is prevented by reason of the skirt 50 of the key.

Extending upwardly from the rear of each of the keys is a rod 54 formed of metal or plastic which serves as a hammer. The hammer 54 of each key is positioned so that it is approximately in the center of the length of each tone bar 40 and the hammer extends into the space 24 so that when the front end of the key 44 is depressed, such as when played, the rear end of the key will be raised so that the hammer strikes the tone bar to produce a sound. The key is properly balanced so that normally it is in a position as shown in FIGURE 4.

The base 10 adjacent each of the sides has a pair of spaced circular bores 56. A removable side member, designated by the numeral 518, is secured adjacent each of the sides of the base by rods 60 extending through suitable openings in the sides 58, with the lower end of the rods entering the bores 56. The top of the rods extend above the top of the sides. The sides are formed in a stepped formation, as shown.

A rectangular shaped cover plate 61 is provided with spaced openings to be removably secured to the rods 60, with the cover plate resting on the sides 58 to complete the assembled toy. The cover plate 61 has a downwardly extending longitudinal rib 62 which is spaced from the tone bars 4t). The rib will prevent the tone bars from falling off the pins 36 and 38 if the toy is held in inverted position, with the cover plate 61 being held in position.

Brielly, the assembled toy comprises a base provided with key supports integrally formed therewith. The keys are each separate units which are readily positioned on the key supports and readily removable therefrom. As a separate unit there is the tone bar support which is readily secured to the base and removable therefrom. The tone bars are separate units and the tone bars are properly positioned on the pins ofthe tone bar support by aligning the openings of the tone bars with their respective pins.

Due to the shape of the tone bar support and the Varying lengths of the tone bars and the spacing of the openings of -the tone bars, the tone bars are always properly positioned in their respective positions.

The sides are separate units as are the rods and same are readily positioned and areremovable. The cover is a separate unit and likewise readily removable. Thus, the toy may be readily assembled from a complete knockdown or disassembled unit to that shown in FIGURE 1, and it may be readily disassembled and knocked down when desired. The tonal quality is good and the child has the additional play value of assembling and disassembling the toy.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made from the foregoing Without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A put-together toy piano comprising a frame having a base and opposite sides, a plurality of playing keys pivotally and removably mounted on said base, a tone bar support removably mounted on said base, a pluof tone bars removably mounted on said support, each in coacting relation to each of said keys, and a cover mounted on said frame extending over said tone bars.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,279,143 LLohr Apr. 7, 1942 2,317,165 Zimmerman Apr. 20, 1943 2,504,915 Zimmerman Apr. 18, 1950 2,545,155 Logan Mar. 13, 1951 2,788,608 Anthony Apr. 16, 1957 OTHER REFERENCES Playthings, page 56, April 1959. 

